WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in advance of the Labor Day holiday:
“As Americans prepare to take a well-deserved break this Labor Day weekend, we pause to recognize the dedication of those in the public and private sector hard at work helping tens of thousands affected by the wrath of Hurricane Isaac.
“Utility crews and first responders are battling massive floods to restore power and safe living conditions. Transportation workers are delivering urgently needed food and medical supplies to Gulf Coast residents and working to restore normalcy to the region’s mass transit services and highways.
“On this day dedicated to working people, we renew our commitment to making the case for more federal investment in the backbone of the economy: our transportation system and its employees. Neglect is threatening the system and good jobs – reliable and long-term investments will turn it around, boost our economy and put people to work.
“This Labor Day also reminds us that Americans will soon have a choice to make on Election Day – a choice between a President who wants to put millions of Americans to work rebuilding and expanding our failing transportation system and a challenger who has endorsed a plan that would ruin our transportation system and policies that would hollow out the middle class. We will dedicate the next 67 days to making sure our members understand this choice.
“We make a solemn commitment to continue the fight for good jobs, the right to form and join unions and bargain collectively, and to impress upon our federal government and Congress the critical importance of a modern transportation system with a skilled workforce.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
